8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Elizabeth Finds Love Amidst Werewolf Madness in 18th Century Germany, March 24, 2006
This review is from: Awaiting the Moon (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)
I very much enjoyed AWAITING THE MOON, a gothic paranormal romance by Donna Lea Simpson. This was the first book I've read by the author, and I was impressed by her characterization and plotting, as well as her easy-to-read writing style. The gist of the story is that young Elizabeth leaves her homeland of England, reputation in tatters, to become a tutor to a young countess in Germany in the year 1795. Once there, she discovers herself insatiably attracted to Count Nikolas von Wolfram, the head of a troubled family and a man of many secrets.
Elizabeth was a delightful heroine in that she was both self-conscious, yet courageous, with both a strong backbone and sharp intelligence. Plus, her forward nature and natural curiosity are both her biggest strengths and greatest weaknesses, as she well knows. She is not a character who needs a man to do everything for her, nor is she the type of heroine who stupidly stumbles into trouble every five seconds, needing saving. I liked reading about her, and I liked how she dealt with her feelings for Nikolas and his family.
Nikolas was also a good hero. He was dark and brooding, but he wasn't a jerk-off and the secrets he kept were good secrets, nothing to make me roll my eyes about. I also liked the way he handled Elizabeth in that he was straightforward (except for his secrets, of course) and respectful. He was also a very creative bed partner, and I thought the love scenes in this book much more sexy and refreshing than the same-ol', same-ol' you read about in other romances.
Germany as a setting was a great choice, too, for this was the first romance I ever read that had Germans in the lead and dealt with German issues and culture. I loved it.
That said, there were a few negatives about the book, but nothing major. One, the author's phrasing and diction were awkward at times, and I wondered if it was so formal because she was trying for a gothic effect. Also, there are a lot of characters in this book, and I found myself trying to remember who was who at a couple points. Oh well.
Regardless, I enjoyed the book immensely and read it in one setting, refusing to go to bed until I'd finished it. The storyline was intriguing and mysterious, and the supernatural part kicked in just when I started to wonder if I had tricked myself into thinking - just like Elizabeth - that there were logical (and not paranormal) reasons why things were happening the way they were.
I highly recommend this book. By the way, it has a sequel called AWAITING THE NIGHT. Also, if you are interested in other gothic paranormals, GENTLE FROM THE NIGHT and THE WOLF OF HASKELL HALL are also nice reads.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A new remarkable author!, March 3, 2006
This review is from: Awaiting the Moon (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)
This book was a bit of a slow starter for me and I almost gave up. Wow am I glad I stuck it out through all the thick gothic
plot and character development! The romance was subtly, lovingly and erotically handled with such delicate sensuality--I'm definitely putting this book in my keeper stack. Seldom are characters in romance genre given such time to develop a complex, loving and erotic relationship and written in manner that allows an authentic building of feelings. Then the paranormal aspects are sprinkled over this deep sensual relationship just towards the end. I stayed up until 2 am to revel in this deeply romantic novel and reflecting on it the next day kept my energy up. Take a chance on this one!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Gothic Romance!, February 16, 2006
This review is from: Awaiting the Moon (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)
Ms. Simpson has taken several sub genres and combined them into a very good read. "Awaiting the Moon" is a combination of historical, paranormal, and gothic romance. With a dark and interesting premise, Ms. Simpson will entertain.
Elizabeth Stanwyck has been forced to leave England. A scandal had rocked her situation and thanks to a good friend she has a chance to leave behind the pain. She is going to be the governess for an older girl in Germany. But the closer she gets to Wolfram Castle she begins to rethink her decision, especially after the bizarre encounter in the woods before her arrival. But, when she meets Count Nikolas Wolfram she's immediately drawn to her handsome but reclusive employer.
Elizabeth thinks she can handle the job but the dark secrets, odd tension between family members and the burning attraction between Nik and Elizabeth only adds to the feels of uncertainty that plagues Elizabeth. When she realizes the secrets Nikolas hides will she accept him or will she let doubt and fear keep her from the one man she will ever love?
Elizabeth and Nikolas are wonderful characters! The secondary characters that pepper the pages only add to the mystique and Ms. Simpson has penned a very sensual paranormal, historical, gothic read and it will entertain without loosing momentum. It appears the gothic romance is on the upswing and Ms. Simpson has created a story that is worthy for the genre.
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